This invention relates generally to a fabric laminate and more particularly concerns a fabric laminate which can be heated or cooled, can retain its heat or cold over a period of time, and as a consequence of that heat or cold can deliver a warm or cool treatment liquid to the skin of a user.
In a number of circumstances relating both to health care and beauty care, it is desirable to use a hot or cold pack to deliver a hot or cold treatment liquid to the skin of the user. The concept of applying a heated cosmetic lotion to the skin is old. Particularly, with regard to moisturizing lotions, it is known that warming the skin increases the flow of blood to the treated area and thereby, provides a more rapid diffusion of the lotion into the stratum corneum of the skin. Heated application of a moisturizing lotion also assures a more efficient spread of the lotion. With respect to a cosmetic cleanser, heated application increases the solubility of makeup on the user's skin in the cleanser. In the past, cosmetic lotions or cleansers were applied to a hot washcloth or towel and then applied to the skin. The heat retention for a wet textile towel is very short due to evaporation heat loss. Consequently, it was difficult to realize the full beneficial advantages that flowed from applying cosmetic lotions or cleansers in a heated form to the user's skin.
In addition to facial cosmetic treatments for beauty care, hot or cold packs and compresses are useful for medical treatment. For example, a hot compress can be impregnated with an analgesic formula and then applied directly to the skin to assist the absorption of the analgesic lotion into the skin which in combination with the increased blood flow resulting from the heating, speeds relief in sore joints and muscles. Hot packs can also be used as a poultice which may be applied to the user's chest to create a vapor atmosphere to relieve various nasal and respiratory ailments. In addition, cold packs in conjunction with an analgesic liquid may be used for the reduction of inflammation resulting from injury.
In order to achieve the benefits of treatment by a hot or cold pack, the pack must provide a skin contact surface which will readily absorb the treatment liquid and then transfer it on contact to the user's skin without leaching of other liquids or chemicals. The hot or cold pack must be able to retain its heat or cold over a period of time.